Java WebStart in Firefox on Ubuntu Linux

Problem
I couldn’t figure out how to run Java Web Start applications in Mozilla Firefox. There was nothing associated with the .jnlp files.
Solution

Prerequisite: Java 1.4 or greater must be installed.

  1. Download a Java Web Start application. I recommend going to the Java Web Start demos page. Click on one of the apps and save it to disk.
  2. Right-click on the .jnlp file that you downloaded, and select “Open with Other Application…”
  3. Select “Use a custom command”, and click “Browse…”.
  4. Locate your java installation folder and select the file $JAVA_HOME/jre/javaws/javaws. On my system, that works out to /usr/lib/j2sdk1.5-sun/jre/javaws/javaws, or /usr/lib/java/jre/javaws/javaws.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Restart Firefox.
Explanation
The Java Web Start MIME type is not properly associated with the javaws binary. You have to explicitly set the association, then restart Firefox for it to get the update.
Resources

Responses: 3 so far Feed icon

  1. #15027 | Wednesday, April 12th, 2006 at 06:35 (EDT)

    Richard Forster says:

    Thanks for this!

    Hadn't realised Firefox was using the mime types like this - a whole new world opens up!

  2. #15028 | Wednesday, February 7th, 2007 at 19:04 (EST)

    Jan Nienaber says:

    Very helpful, fixed my Java WS prolems - thanks!

  3. #15029 | Monday, February 19th, 2007 at 08:53 (EST)

    ngeno says:

    WOW I WORKED thanx alot at last can open a very essental package for my job!!!!!

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